Audi Uses Kinect and Myo To Assemble Virtual Cars

When an automaker debuts a new model or refreshes an older one, the manufacturing process is a pretty big consideration. Plants have to shut down for weeks at a time to be reconfigured for the new demands, and line workers have to be trained to work with new components and steps when building a car.

The engineers at Audi are constantly working to ensure that their updates to production cars don’t disrupt manufacturing too much and lose the company money. As part of a brand-new program, the team is beginning to use 3D environments and virtual reality to test their ideas in a simulated assembly plant.

Testing is carried out in the Cave Automatic Virtual Environment, or CAVE. Participants wear Myo gaming armbands and use Kinect control hardware for the computer to register their movements as they interact with the production line. By using the gaming systems, the engineers are able to ensure that it’s not only possible for their designs to be integrated into production, but they also find the most comfortable and ergonomic way for plant employees to carry out the tasks.